Fallout Equestria: Cyber's story
by CyberBass587
Summary: This is my branch of the highly popular story by Khat called Fallout Equestria. This one takes place during the same time as the original and Project Horizons, but has completely different characters and story. Cyber Bass was born in Stable 82, and was taught that if you were born in the Stable, you die in the Stable...but that was about to change.
1. Chapter 1- An average day in Stable 82

Cyber's Point of View

Setting- Cyber's Room in Stable 82

God damn was I bored. I was just laying in my bed in my semi-empty room in the absolute center of Stable 82. And I don't mean that it was just in the middle of all the important stuff in the Stable, I literally mean right in the center. My room was on the 4th out of the nine floors of Stable 82, and then directly in the middle of the fourth floor. I guess I was just easily irritated right now, I haven't had anything to do lately as I was just here for when in was the Stable's entertainment day, which was every Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. for when the morning workers got off there shift, and then I would repeat the same show for when the night workers got off their shift at 8 a.m. That was literally my job here in the amazing place of Stable 82, an entertainer...a DJ at that. You know, which would be fun and all if I didn't have to hear the same songs every time I perform. The only time I can get a different song is when the few singers in the Stable make a new one. And even then I don't record half of them because most of the time the songs aren't that good. To be honest there is really only two good singers in the Stable: Treble Clef and Sweet Melody.

Treble Clef is an amazing singer and song writer, and it really helps that we have liked eachother sense we met in school around ten years ago, she was actually my Super Special Somepony as of two years ago. Sweet Melody on the other hand was just a total bitch. Melody was the one who sat back in class and worried about her looks rather than succeeding, always thinks she's right, absolutely LOVES to rub shit in, and probably worst of all is the fact that she purposely liked to get in between me and Treble. And I don't mean that she likes me or anything, she actually is the exact opposite, she hates me to the core...and I'm fine with that. She's not a fan of Treble either, but she doesn't act like that around her. She acts like she's Treble's best friend, but then goes behind my back and tries to separate Treble and I. I know this not only because I've caught her trying to tell Treble stuff, but I've also had Treble come up to me and just randomly start questioning me on things that I have absolutely zero clue about. I hate her...but Treble thinks she's her friend, and she hasn't separated us yet, so it really wasn't a problem at the time. I really just needed to figure out something to do.

I couldn't hang with Treble right now because it was currently "after hours" in the Stable. I pulled up my pipbuck to check what time it was.

"9:42...yep...definably after hours." I said to myself, my voice quietly echoing off the dull silver walls of my room. The halls would be teaming with guards right now.

The Stable had extremely strict rules when it came to time. At 7:30 a.m. breakfast would start, then at 8 a.m. all of the morning shifts would go to work until lunch, which was at 1 p.m. Then it they would get off at 5 p.m. so the night workers could start there shift until dinner at 8 p.m., then would work until the breakfast in the morning. If you missed a meal by even one minute then you were screwed because they would just refrigerate everything as soon as the time was up. Now if you were caught after hours than it would be a solid 5 hits with the Wardens baton. Which, trust me, hurt like a bitch...Treble and I would know as we were once caught doing "it" after hours in the maintenance wing on floor 8. Which we weren't even allowed in, so that just added another ten hits of a baton. And then the whole caught doing "it" thing got us three days without food or water and another 15 hits of a baton! So our final punishment was three days with no food or water...and a whopping 25 solid hits with a baton...and it was totally worth it, broken rib and all. Treble thought the same thing.

I guess I really didn't have anything to do...just lay there in my rock hard bed, and listen to the soft humming of Stable's generators and Guards hoofsteps outside until I managed to doze off...and I was close to doing just that until I heard a small, static filled dinging noise arise from the pipbuck permanently mounted on my left forehoof. I rolled over and pulled my pipbuck up to my eyes to see what I just got.

I looked through my pipbuck until I came across a message that read

* * *

><p>Dear all off duty workers, please report to the stage for this weeks announcement.<p>

Thank You.

-The Overmare-

* * *

><p>Well shit...guess I had to attend that, honestly, I completely forgot about it. To be honest, I really wasn't sure why they didn't just send out a message with all of the weeks announcements to everypony's pipbuck every Monday morning. Hell, it was freaking Wednesday night and we were just now getting these damn announcements. Maybe if they just worried more about the important shit rather then keeping all of the times on schedule, that would be possible. But no, I guess being on time was slightly more important than something like a generator going down...and if that were to ever happen...well, tough shit I guess, we wouldn't know until a few days after I guess.<p>

I powered down my pipbuck and sat up from my bed, then rolled out of it with as much enthusiasm as you would put into something that you don't want to do. Then walked over to the door to my room, grabbing my few belongings that I had on the way out, which just consisted of my bright blue stable barding that had a large, yellow 82 in digital writing on the back. And a pair of old, worn headphones that were issued to me when I got my cutie mark when I was a kid. They really don't sound that great as all they are is on old model of headphones from pre-war times. There was bound to be better models out there, but the odds of you getting out of the Stable was completely impossible. Once those doors shut, they never open again...oh well, you're born in the stable, you die in the stable. We were actually taught this when we were just foals. Anyway, I just set all this aside now and except the fact. Who knows what's out there now anyway.

I open the door to my room and walk out into the hallway of lovely floor four of Stable 82, and turn to my left towards the elevator to go to floor seven, which is were the stage is located.

The hallways are the same exact dull silver color like all of the rooms in the Stable. I'm not kidding either, every single room, whether it's a bedroom, cafeteria, or the 'stage' room, everything from the floor to the ceiling and everything in-between is just a dull grey. In fact, so dull that you couldn't even see your reflection anymore. I stress anymore though, when I was a foal you could at least see the outlines of yourself and small blotches of your mane and coat as long as you were standing in the correct place...and angle. But ever sense about ten years ago it has just been a dull grey-ish metal wall. I just assume they either lost their color to age or all the chemicals that we used to use to clean the walls, now the janitors just use the recycled water whenever they had the chance...which was rare.

These thoughts just continued through my head as I just kept looking around at the boring walls, ceiling, and floor. I was starting to get a sense of deja-vu until I felt a tap on my back. I turned to see a grey-coated and dark green maned guard staring me down in full Stable-Tec riot armor, riot shield on his back and baton at his side. His riot gear helmet shield was tinted just enough that you could see his eyes, but not the color. His body armor was just standard Stable-Tec riot gear that just had slightly more padding, but I noticed a bright wight patch on it that had black lettering that read-

* * *

><p>Cog Ironhoof<p>

Warden

Stable 82

* * *

><p>"Well well...what are you doing out of your room after hours Cyber?" He questioned in his classic calm sounding voice that managed to still sound like he was pissed no matter what he was saying.<p>

"What do you mean?" I questioned...didn't he get the memo, the message was supposed to be sent to everypony.

"You know exactly what I mean Cyber, it's after hours and your disobeying the time system...You know what that means, five hits of a baton Cyber...but I'm sure your used to that by now." He said, circling me and slowly starting to draw his baton out of its leather sleeve.

"Sir...I got a message on my pipbuck saying that there was a meeting at the stage for this weeks announcements, didn't you get it to?" I questioned...he hesitated, but he started to re-sheath his baton, and then lifted up my hoof to inspect my pipbuck.

Multiple beeps and other digitalized sounds repeatedly came out of my pipbuck as Ironhoof went through my pipbuck. I could see that he was going through my inventory through the reflection on his riot mask...snoopy little bastard, it's not like I could stop him though, his armor is to thick for just a hoof to do any kind of damage, and even if I did do something to him then I would soon have many more guards on me. So I had to sit there and watch as he went through my belongings and past messages from Treble. It seemed like I was standing there forever until he finally muttered something.

"What was that?" I asked, trying not to sound pissed.

"This message was received by everypony last week...you should probably report down to the maintenance wing and get your pipbuck looked at. I'll escort you down, follow me." Ironhoof said as he turned and walked over to elevators. "Well, get your ass in here before I pull you in here Cyber."

"Whatever." I said as I walked into the elevator and watched as Ironhoof pushed the bottom number on the elevator, number eight.

The elevator doors shut with a loud hiss as they always did, then all of the gears and pulleys started moving. I guess my next stop was maintenance.


	2. Chapter 2- A Few Screws Loose

Cyber's Point of View

The elevator doors creaked open with a screech and hiss as the smell of grease and smoke seemed to smack me with tremendous force as the smell crawled its way up my nostrils. Ironhoof walked stepped out of the elevator like the smell didn't even phase him, I've only been down here one other time...and you see how that turned out...but the smell wasn't nearly as bad last time.

"Does it usually smell this bad down here?" I asked as I walked out of the elevator, the now loud hum of the generator now almost blocked out your hearing.

"Not usually...I think one of the filters in the vents need fixed. I need to get maintenance on it soon." Ironhoof said, not stopping to make eye contact. "Pipbuck technician is right up here."

"You just gonna change the subject like that?" I questioned.

"Yep...It's not your business." Ironhoof said as we went into a hallway simply labeled _MAINTENANCE WORKERS QUARTERS._ "There's the door. Go in, tell the worker what's wrong, get it fixed, then come out and I'll escort you to your room. Got it?" He questioned.

"Sure." I sarcastically said as I walked in the room to see a twitchy, bloodshot eyed, black coated and haired unicorn pony with a cutie mark that just looked like a pile of mechanical parts staring me down as soon as the door opened...damn it...I got Loose Screw. I went to ask for someone else, but by the time I turned to talk to Ironhoof the door was already locked shut.

"WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM!?" Loose Screw screamed as his left eye twitched.

Loose Screw was sure good with machines...but not much else. She was constantly rumored to be a shut-in down here in her little work room...that seemed to be true so far. The room smelled of sweat and grease...and a few other smells that made me want to gag. I really think this mare was going to snap at any moment.

"WELL...YOU GONNA ANSWER!?" She yelled again.

"Lets start by lowering your voice maybe." I said.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" She yelled again...I don't think she even knew that she was talking as loud as she was...maybe all the machines down here almost have her deaf.

"Never mind...Ironhoof sent me down to get my pipbuck looked at." I said, preparing for the sudden loudness of Loose Screw's voice.

"What's wrong with it?" She asked...in a calm, moderate toned voice this time...I was kindove shocked...her voice just seemed to get so professional when the conversation went to her job...I guess that's why the guards haven't put her down yet.

"Well...you know that message that everyone got about a week ago?" I asked.

"Yea. Why?" She questioned...I was still confused to why her voice just changed whenever the conversation involved her job.

"Well...I just got it about twenty minutes ago, any idea what's wrong.?" I asked...I can't really say I wanted to know, as that would just mean I would now have to attend any meetings.

"Well...sounds like your processor might have a bug. Let me see." Loose Screw said as she reached into her utility belt and pulled out a key that was marked MASTER KEY.

I lifted up my hoof and let her unhook my pipbuck from my forehoof. She took it over to a bench in the corner of the room and began removing parts and screws from it that I have never even seen on my pipbuck before. This was the first time I have had that thing off of my since I was a foal though...and it felt good having it off as the things didn't exactly have padding in them, just some cheap foam that usually started chaffing after about a year of wearing it...you just got used to it though.

Loose Screw started making an assortment of grunting noises as she picked away at my pipbuck, pulling an assortment of parts from it that where alien to me. I'm pretty sure that the only internal part I recognized was when she pulled out the mother board.

"You think there's something wrong with that?" I questioned simply out of curiosity.

"No...the board looks fine...but this, on the other hoof, might just be your problem." She said as she held up her hoof, which had a p[art that looked exactly like the m0other board in my eyes, except it was much smaller...and looked burnt to the crisp.

"Is that the processor you were talking about." I asked.

"That's exactly what it is...looks like it burnt up somehow. You have any idea why this thing blew?" Loose screw asked me.

"Your the pipbuck technician, you tell me." I said, I wasn't sure why she was asking me. She was supposed to be a master when it came to this stuff.

"Well...I've never actually seen this before. Have you gotten any other messages in the pass week, preferably on the day that the weeks messages were sent out?" She asked, staring me down with great intent.

I think she asked me to quick, I really had to think for a minute if I had gotten any other messages sense then. I guarantee that I sat there like an idiot for a good five minutes until I finally settled on "I don't think so."

"Well...I guess I'll put a new processor in and then send you a message, if you don't get it within ten seconds, then that's not the problem."

"Sounds good to me." I said.

Loose Screw turned back to her workbench and pulled out a toolbox labeled SPARE PARTS, then reached in face first and pulled out a brand new processor with her teeth. I then saw her reach back over and grab all the scraps from my pipbuck and started putting it back together. It wasn't long until she was done and locking my pipbuck back onto my forehoof. I got to say, I liked it better when I didn't have it on.

"Alright, I'm going to send you a messa..." She was cut off by a multitude of beeps from my pipbuck...the same static filled beep you get when you receive a message.

I quickly looked down at my pipbuck to see multiple alerts that read

* * *

><p>ATTENTION: CYBER BASS<p>

YOU HAVE 4 NEW MESSAGES FROM: TREBLE CLEF

WOULD YOU LIKE TO OPEN MESSAGES

YES NO

* * *

><p>I rapidly tapped the YES button on my pipbuck with my hoof, and read the messages.<p>

* * *

><p>MESSAGE ONE<p>

HEY CYBER, I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOU WERE DOING TOMMOROW.

I HAVE A FREE DAY AND I THINK I KNOW HOW WE CAN SEE EACHOTHER.

MESSAGE ME BACK WHEN YOU GET THIS PLEASE

FROM: TREBLE CLEF

* * *

><p>MESSAGE TWO<p>

IT'S ME AGAIN CYBER

YOU NEVER RESPONDED YESTERDAY

I GUESS YOU WERE JUST BUSY

ANYWAY, PLEASE MESSAGE ME BACK

FROM: TREBLE CLEF

* * *

><p>MESSAGE THREE<p>

COME ON CYBER

PLEASE RESPOND

I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU FOR ABOUT A WEEK

CAN YOU PLEASE RESPOND

IM GETTING WORRIED

FROM: TREBLE CLEF

* * *

><p>MESSAGE FOUR<p>

WHATEVER CYBER

I THINK YOURE JUST IGNORING ME NOW

IF YOU WERE DEAD THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWN BY NOW

SEE YOU THIS FRIDAY, YOU CAN'T SKIP WORK

FROM: TREBLE CLEF

* * *

><p>Mother of Celestia was I in some deep shit now. I needed to get a message to her ASAP.<p>

I lifted up my pipbuck and clicked a button labeled NEW MESSAGE, picked out Treble's name from my contacts, and clicked SEND NEW MESSAGE. Then I began typing.

* * *

><p>HEY TREBLE<p>

I AM SO DAMN SORRY ABOUT THIS

I JUST FOUND OUT THAT MY PIPBUCK WAS BUSTED

I'M ACTUALLY IN THE PIPBUCK TECHNICIAN'S ROOM AS I SEND THIS

PLEASE BELIEVE ME TREBLE

YOU KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T IGNORE YOU

PLEASE TELL ME YOU GET THIS

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>I was now praying that she would get that message. If she wouldn't talk to me, I don't think I would know what to do with myself. She was my only friend down here, and it doesn't help knowing that those four messages were spread out over three days. I could tell a was shaking, and Loose Screw could probably tell something was up to. I wouldn't even make eye contact with her right now, I was to intent on staring at my pipbuck as I waited for a response...then it went off. My pipbuck's screen lit up as the bright green letters NEW MESSAGE appeared on the screen. I frantically tapped the bright green YES button and opened up the message to read<p>

* * *

><p>THANK THE GODS<p>

YOU HAD ME REALLY WORRIED CYBER

DISREGARD EVERYTHING IN THOSE LAST MESSAGES

IM REALLY GLAD TO HEAR YOUR OKAY

TOMMOROWS THURSDAY AND IM FREE

WANT TO HANG OUT

FROM: TREBLE CLEF

* * *

><p>No pony understands how happy I felt to get that message. I clicked the bright green RESPOND BUTTON, and began typing<p>

* * *

><p>HELL YEA<p>

12 O'CLOCK SOUND GOOD

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>It didn't take long until my screen flashed with the same NEW MESSAGE lettering, and it took me even less long to open it up.<p>

* * *

><p>SOUNDS GOOD<p>

SEE YOU THEN

NIGHT BABE

FROM: TREBLE

* * *

><p>I was now extremely relieved. I looked up from my pipbuck and looked at Loose Screw.<p>

"It's working now...thanks, you may not realize it, but you really saved my ass there." I said as I stuck out my hoof to shake hers...but she just stood there with an awkward smile on her face. She never broke eye contact, never spoke, didn't even twitch like she usually did...It was starting to creep me the hell out.

"Ummm...Okay...I guess I'll just be leaving then." I said, slowly putting my hoof back down and turned to walk out the door...but then my pipbuck received another message.

I looked down to read what it was, I just assumed it was another from Treble...but I was wrong, and quite surprised.

* * *

><p>TRUST ME<p>

I KNOW

FROM: UNKOWN USER

* * *

><p>It took me a minute to realized what just happened...but then I looked over at Loose Screw, I think I just made a new friend.<p>

I lifted my pipbuck back up and clicked a set of bright green lettering that I have only clicked one other time, NEW CONTACT. My pipbuck pulled up a screen saying

* * *

><p>CONTACT NAME:<p>

CONTACT PIPBUCK NUMBER:

PLEASE FILL IN

CLICK DONE ONCE FINISHED

DONE

* * *

><p>I began to fill in the information, then clicked done. My pipbuck received a message reading<p>

* * *

><p>NEW CONTACT: LOOSE SCREW<p>

HAS BEEN SUCCESFULLY INSTALLED ON YOUR PIPBUCK

* * *

><p>I smiled at Loose Screw and walked out the door to see Ironhoof standing directly outside.<p>

"I'm assuming everything is working now?" He asked.

"Yep." I responded.

"Alright then, I'll escort you back to your room." He said, turning and walking towards the elevators. I followed behind, this was probably one of the best days I've had in the vault in a while.

* * *

><p>Foot note: Level Up<p>

New Perk: Pipbuck Technician

From watching pony's tamper with pipbucks, you now have better knowledge on them and can repair them when needed


	3. Chapter 3- Sleeping troubles

Cyber's Point of View

I walked into my room and turned to thank Ironhoof...even though he wasn't exactly my friend.

"Thanks Ironhoof." I said.

"For what?" He responded. His voice still calm yet pissed seemingly at the same time.

"Well...I never would have suggested the pipbuck technician. Plus, you know I would have walked out to attend what I thought was weekly announcement and would have ended up getting my ass beat by some guards. So thanks." I said.

"Just doing my job." He said, acting like he couldn't give half a rats ass...but I knew that somewhere in his sentence, he accepted the thanks.

"Well...you do it well." I responded.

"Bet your ass I do." He chuckled, then turned away and locked me in my room. I managed to catch a glimpse of a smile as the door hissed shut.

Well...I guess I should get to sleep. According to my pipbuck it's almost 1 A.M., and I did have a date with Treble tomorrow...or, well were just hanging out, but I consider any rare time we can hang out as a date. I'm sure anypony would consider it one if they maybe get to hang out once every week or so. Hell, who am I kidding. I maybe get to see her every two weeks. Dear Celestia, I really hate the gender rules around here.

The gender rules are a set of rules made by The Overmare about two years ago that make it so no pony of opposite gender can be seen with eachother after hours. That only gets you a talking by the guards at first. But if you are caught doing "it", well...you know the story there. Whatever, at least I managed to get a day to hang out. Guess I'll just have to go to sleep and then get ready in the morning.

I trotted over to my bed, laying my headphones and Stable 82 jumpsuit on the nightstand at the end, then plopping down in the stiff-as-a-rock metal-framed bed that's blankets was no better then the sheets that laid under them. I rolled over to face the wall and wrapped up in the blankets and sheets as best as I could. Then shut my eyes and attempted to dose off...but something was preventing me. I wasn't sure what though, I've never had sleeping problems though. But what was weird was that this just didn't feel like I just simply wasn't tired, this was more like a gut feeling that something was up. I rolled over and looked at my headphones, thinking maybe I just needed some other noise besides the humming of lights and generators to help me sleep. I levitated them over and put them over my ears, then plugged them into my pipbuck.

The headphone port on my pipbuck was a nice customization that was exclusive to my model of pipbuck. I don't think I remember what the model was called though, something like the Pipbuck X13 or something like that. Sure, they were a bit more expensive, but it was passed down from my dad to me before he passed away.

I scrolled through my song artist on my pipbuck until I came across a folder on it that I simply labeled TREBLE'S SONGS. I clicked the open file and played the first song and let my pipbuck automatically go through the songs, playing each one over and over until I would choose to exit out...which I probably wouldn't. I was so close to finally falling asleep until I started getting that gut feeling again. It was really bugging me now, I paused the song and sat up. Then opened up the message section and started to type a message to Treble.

* * *

><p>HEY, I CANT SLEEP<p>

CAN YOU?

I HAVE A GUT FEELING THAT SOMETHING IS UP

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>I clicked SEND with my hoof and waited for a response. It really didn't take long to get one back. I opened it up and started reading.<p>

* * *

><p>YOU TO?<p>

I THOUGHT I WAS JUST HAVING STOMACH PAINS

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS UP?

FROM: TREBLE

* * *

><p>I clicked respond and started typing again.<p>

* * *

><p>I REALLY HAVE NO CLUE<p>

I'LL ASK LOOSE SCREW

SEE IF SHE'S STILL UP

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>I waited for Treble to send something back. Then my pipbuck lit up green, I again opened the message and started reading.<p>

* * *

><p>YOUR FRINEDS WITH LOOSE SCREW?<p>

FROM: TREBLE

* * *

><p>Shit, I forgot to tell her about Loose Screw. I clicked respond once more and began typing.<p>

* * *

><p>YEA. SHE'S THE ONE WHO WORKED ON MY PIPBUCK<p>

SHE'S NOT THAT BAD

SHE'S A BIT LOUD

BUT SHE'S A GOOD PONY

SHE'S BETTER THEN MOST OTHERS IN THE STABLE

BUT IM GONNA ASK HER IF SHE'S UP TO

K

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>I waited for her to respond, wasn't quiet sure how she was going to react to this one. It would either go on the "jealous marefriend route" or the "good for you, I don't give a shit route". Was kindove hoping for the second one. My pipbuck lit up green again and I opened it up and began reading.<p>

* * *

><p>WELL<p>

I'LL HAVE TO MEET HER SOMETIME

TELL ME IF SHE RESPONDS

FROM: TREBLE

* * *

><p>Well, that was the route I wanted to go down, but I didn't think she'd want to meet her...Oh well. I went back to my contacts list and clicked on the glowing digitalized green letters reading LOOSE SCREW, then started typing a message.<p>

* * *

><p>HEY LOOSE SCREW<p>

IT'S CYBER BASS

TREBLE CLEF AND I ARE HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING

WE HAVE A FEELING THAT SOMETHINGS UP

YOU HAVE THAT FEELING TO?

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>I overlooked the message and clicked send, then waited for a response. I wasn't sure if I would even get one back. It could really just be an odd coincidence that both Treble and I can't sleep and both have the same feeling that something is up. And if that was the case, then that was to damn good of a coincidence. I was hoping I would get a response back, and I was hoping even more that she new that something is wrong. I had to have been sitting there for at least ten minutes, I guess she was asleep. This really must be a damn good coincidence. I started to send a message back to Treble.<p>

* * *

><p>HEY TREBLE<p>

I GUESS IT'S JUST YOYU AND MEAN

I NEVER GOT ANYTHING BA

*DING*

* * *

><p>I didn't even get to finish typing by the time I got a response from Loose Screw. I quickly deleted the message I was typing and opened up the message.<p>

* * *

><p>HEY CYBER!<p>

SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO0 GET BACK

LOOK

SOMETHING IS UP

THE MAIN GENERATOR DOWN HERE IS FAILING

WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW BEFORE

*BOOM*

* * *

><p>I didn't even get to finish reading when a large eruption of an explosion shook the ground under me. No...don't tell me...that was the generator wasn't it! It wasn't long until I heard the ear-piercing alarms echo throughout the stable and multiple sounds of guards running outside the of my door. I got out of bed and grabbed my stable barding and saddle bags. I put my headphones in the saddle bag and went to walk out the door, but then my pipbuck got another message. It was from Treble. I opened up as quick as my hoofs would let me, and read as fast as my eyes would let me.<p>

* * *

><p>CYBER<p>

WHAT WAS THAT

ARE YOU OKAY

FROM: TREBLE

* * *

><p>I didn't even think, I just began typing back.<p>

* * *

><p>TREBLE.<p>

IM FINE

BUT THAT MAY NBOT BE THE STORY IF WE DONT LEAVE NOW

THE MAIN GENERATOR JUST BLEW AND WE DONT HAVE A BACKUP

LOOSE SCREW TOLD US TO LEAVE NOW

THE STABLES DOOR TO THE OUTSIDE IS GOING TO OPEN

MEET ME IN THE HALLWAY THATS INBETWEEN OUR ROOMS

PLEASE GET THERE SAFE

TRY TO NOT GET CAUGHT BY THE GUARDS

SEE YOU SOON BABE

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>I frantically hit send and waited for the guards outside my door to leave, then rushed outside...What I saw was the most frightening thing I have seen in all of my years in the Stable. Everything is about to change.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4- Stable Malfunctions

Cyber's Point of View

I was frozen in fear. The Stable's walls and floor now were covered in a thick red liquid...blood...definably blood. This usually wouldn't bother me as blood was normal, but not when it's this much. The Stable's dull silver walls were just covered. I slowly started walking, but couldn't help myself but stop again. I looked down the hallway and noticed the source of the blood. There was what looked to be a guard...or more half of one. It was what was around him, feeding off him, that nearly made me soil myself right there. I couldn't even explain it, it had the body structure of a normal pony, but it was glowing green and had multiple rips and tears all throughout its body. And what skin was on it was all shriveled up and nearly burnt to a crisp. It had no hair whatsoever other then some small strands here and there. I looked at my pipbuck and noticed multiple red marks above my compass. And it seemed that each reed dot symbolized a threat as I recall there being green marks when there was a friendly. It seemed there was only the one enemy here though, the others must be on different floors of the Stable.

I still wasn't quiet sure what I was staring at, but according to my pipbuck it wasn't friendly...however it was in my way. I needed to get by it or get rid of it somehow, and sneak was never a strong suit with me. So I had to go with the other option of removing it.

I started looking around for a some sort of weapon. I noticed the guards baton about 5 feet away from the monstrosity in front of me. I focused and ran forward, levitating the baton up off the ground as soon as it was within reach of my telekinetic abilities. The creature stood up on it's hind legs and let out on ear-piercing scream, yellow ooze leaking out of it's mouth in the process. But before it could do anything else I whacked it as hard as my magic would let me. A message popped up on my pipbuck reading DIRECT HIT.

The creature fell to the bloody floors with a hiss and a moan. I guess...I guess it was dead. It wasn't moving anymore, and the glowing green it was putting off faded away in almost an instant. I guess that it wasn't a problem anymore.

I looked down at the guard. I didn't recognize him, but he probably didn't deserve this. He was completely torn in two, his legs about five feet away from his the rest of him. The only thing joining the two was a large stream of fresh blood leading from one to the other. I literally threw up in my mouth, but managed to pull it back in. I started walking away, but then got to thinking. There is definably going to be more of these things throughout the Stable, and it probably wouldn't be good if one got a hit in on me. I didn't feel right doing it...but it was for the better.

I slowly turned and walked back over to the guards corpse. I stared at it for another minute or two, but then started using my telekinesis to undo all of the straps on his riot gear. Starting at the helmet, then the torso piece, the leg and hoof guards. The armor was defiantly worn and beaten. But it was better then just plain Stable barding. I slipped it all on my body and adjusted it so it would all fit properly. The gear was snug...and warm from all the blood. This thought didn't help me. But for all I know this gear could mean the difference between life and death right now. I quickly put on the riot helmet and turned to find Treble.

Treble shouldn't be far by now. Our rooms were only about ten minutes away from each other if we walked, probably a solid six or seven if you ran...and I was booking it at this rate. I was so worried right now. I didn't even know if she was still alive...I knew that Loose Screw was dead, she was in the room when the generator exploded, there was no way she made it. That thought alone brought a few tears to my eye.

I was now in the hallway over from Treble's room. I was extremely worried now, she was supposed to meet me halfway! I don't even know what I would do if I turned this next corner and saw she met the same fate as that guard...I would probably just end it right there. I wouldn't have anything else to live for. I wouldn't be able to make it without her. These thoughts almost made me hesitate as I approached the corner. I almost didn't turn the corner...but then it occurred...what if...what if her door was just jammed or something like that! What if...what if...what if.

Different scenarios of what if bounced around in my mind. So much that I raised up my baton and charged around the corner. I didn't like what I saw, but it was so much better then what could have been.

This hall was also nearly covered in blood of another guard pony, I noticed he had some sort of clear shield next to him attached to a robotic arm that connected to a mechanical mechanism that was all nicely packaged onto a saddle. It was a riot saddle. I have heard of these, but I never saw one in person. I looked up from it and saw three of those shriveled skinned, burnt up, green, hairless zombie ponies clawing at a door...Trebles door.

They were extremely intent on getting in, I guess that was why she didn't meet my in the halls. But they were so intent on getting in the I was able to pull up my pipbuck and send a message to Treble. I started typing

* * *

><p>TREBLE<p>

IM IN THE HALLWAY OVER FROM YOUR ROOM

PLEASE TELL ME YOUR IN THERE

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>I clicked send and went back around the corner so the zombie ponies wouldn't see me. Then waited for a response...hoping I got a response. But the odds were in my favor as I nearly got one back immediately. I opened up the message and started reading.<p>

* * *

><p>CYBER!<p>

THANK THE GODS YOUR OKAY

YES, IM IN MY ROOM

THESE THINGS GOT ME LOCKED IN HERE

I SAW THE GUARD OUT THERE GET KILLED

HE SAVED ME

BUT I DONT WANT YOU FIGHTING THESE THINGS CYBER

LET THEM LEAVE

THEN COME GET ME

FROM: TREBLE

* * *

><p>I was glad to see she responded, but I was going with her decision. I could take these things, I had a plan. I pulled up my pipbuck and began typing again.<p>

* * *

><p>TREBLE<p>

IM GETTING YOU OUT OF THERE

I'VE KILLED ONE OF THOSE THINGS ALREADY

JUST HANG TIGHT

ILL BE OKAY

I PROMISE

FROM: CYBER

* * *

><p>I clicked send then un-holstered my baton and peeked around the corner. My eyes were drawn to the riot saddle again. It would help keep these things off me if they charged.<p>

I peeked my head around the corner and pulled the corpse over to me with my magic. Another thing that almost made me spill my guts all over the blood stained metal floors. But I managed to get it to me quick enough without any of the zombie ponies noticing. I used my magic to unhook the saddle from the guards corpse, then put it on myself.

It was fairly heavy, but not enough to bug me. It didn't take me long to figure out how it worked. The saddle had a bar that connected to the mechanical system on the saddle that went from it and up to your mouth. There was a pressure plate on that bar that, when bit, would raise the shield up from your side to in front of you. It honestly wasn't that complicated of machinery. I sat back and practiced with the riot saddle for a minute. I decided on using my mouth to activate the pressure plate to raise the shield, then use my magic to levitate the baton at my side and strike when I knew that I could land a hit. I think I was ready.

I walked around the corner, shield raised, and slowly pushed forward, banging my baton on the walls to get the zombie ponies attention. It worked to, all three let out an extremely similar scream that the first one I ran into let out, then slowly started walking towards me.

I stood still and held my ground as they got closer. I probably couldn't bite that pressure plate any harder than what I was. Sweat was literally dripping onto the floor from my face. I have never been this nervous or scared in my life. One of the zombie ponies let out another scream and charged towards me, bolting past the other two. I levitated up my baton and waited for in to run into my shield. It hit the shield with a thud, almost pushing back a step. It's lifeless eyes seemed to stare into my very soul. I quit staring and quickly lowered the shield and cracked it in the head with the baton, sending it falling to the ground. That was one down, two to go. I raised the shield back up and waited for another to charge. And one did.

As this one charged past the other it knocked it over in the process, that just made my part easier. It was a simple repeat of the last one. It hit my shield, I lowered the shield, then I hit it with as much force as possible. That was two down, only one to go, and this one was having trouble getting up. I lowered the shield and walked up to it, then pinned its head to the metal floors with my armored hoof and smashed its head in in one smooth stomp. That was three.

I holstered my baton and ran up to Treble's door and entered in the code to get in. The door slid open with a hiss and I walked in. I wasn't expecting to get hit in the side with a lamp though.

I looked over and saw Treble, lamp grasped in her mouth, standing there in fear. I lifted up the tinted riot visor on my helmet and looked into her eyes. Then leaned forward and hugged her as tight as I ever have.

"Thank Luna your okay." I said, trying not to let tears of joy get to me.

She quickly leaned in and hugged me in return, neither of us letting go. "I told you to let them leave." She said, she was definably crying.

"And you know that I wasn't leaving without you." I responded, I was now holding back tears.

"Where did you get that gear?" She asked.

"Well...I got it off of a guard...two actually. I'm not proud of it, but I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for it." I said.

"Well...that's good, as long as your alive...everything is good." She said, hugging me so tight that I could feel it through the riot gear.

I unlatched from our hug. "Loose Screw said we need to leave right now." I said.

"Wait...where is she?" Treble questioned.

"I don't think she made it. She sent me a message saying that the generator was about to blow and we needed to leave. She was in the room when it happened...she didn't make it." I said, showing Treble the message from earlier.

Treble didn't say anything for a minute. She just looked up at me and stared into my eyes with an odd look on her face...she was thinking.

"Do you think we should exit the vault?" Treble said.

I looked into her eyes and grabbed her hoof. "Were leaving." I said.

"Not without my help your not." A deep voice from the hallway said.

I didn't know who it was, but before I even bothered to see who it was I pushed Treble behind me and bit onto the pressure plate for the shield. I was surprised to see a blood stained, battle worn Ironhoof standing in the doorway.

* * *

><p>Footnote: Level Up<p>

New Perk: Battle Saddle experience

Do to your natural knowledge of battle saddles, you can operate a battle saddle of any kind without issue.


	5. Chapter 5- Escape

Cyber's P.O.V

"Ironhoof! Thank god you're still here! You know the code for the Stable's door." Treble said, wiping tears from her eyes with her hoof.

"Well...not exactly." Ironhoof said with a look of sadness on his usually pissed off looking face.

"What do you mean, your the warden. Isn't that something The Overmare tells you when you become a warden?" I yelled, I honestly thought we weren't getting out of here now, I sat down on my hind legs, as did Treble.

"Well no, only she knows the door combination. But that really doesn't matter. How do you think the mutants got in in the first place." Ironhoof said.

"Wait...what?" I questioned, looking over at Treble, she just shrugged.

"When the generator blew, the door opened up, letting in the mutants." He said. "So the door is wide open, we just have to fight our way out."

"What are mutants?" Treble interrupted.

"It's the things that your coltfriend over here have been killing." Ironhoof said.

"Well...I thought they were zombies, like a disease or something did this to them." I responded.

"You can say that. What killed them was radiation poisoning, something left behind by the megaspells during the war that put everypony in these damned Stables." Ironhoof said, looking at the ground. He was obviously depressed about what was going on, I really don't blame him. Who knows how many of his guard friends he's seen torn to pieces or become a all you can eat buffet to these so called mutants...but wait, how did he know so much about the outside. Nopony has ever been out of the Stable since they first closed over a hundred years ago...I was curious.

"Ironhoof...how do you know so much about the outside?" I questioned, Treble looked at me, then started to intently stare at Ironhoof.

"Nevermind that! We need to leave!" Ironhoof yelled. He was getting defensive, he was trying to dodge my questioned.

"No...you'll tell us why, or where not leaving!" I yelled back.

"God damnit Cyber! That isn't going to matter in a minute if we don't leave right Celestia Damn now!" He screamed, he was hiding something.

I went to yell back, but Treble grabbed my hoof and stopped me.

"Look Cyber, he's right. Look at the compass on your pipbuck, these things are everywhere! We need to go, we can ask questions once were out." Treble said...and damn was she right.

"We will talk about this once were out." I said, looking furiously into Ironhoof's eyes.

"Glad to here it. Now follow me to the stairs, the elevators are down. Cyber, get her some armor. I'll watch you guys while you get her some." Ironhoof's said, I was actually about so suggest the same thing.

I looked over at Treble. "Babe, stay here. I'm going to get you that armor outside. I'll be right back, just stay with Ironhoof, you'll be okay." I said, looking intently into her neon green eyes.

"You have two minutes..." She said, she was starting to tear up again.

"That's all I need." I said as I kissed her cheek and walked out into the hall, shield raised.

I was going slowly as I could hear more mutants around the corner, no doubt feeding on something else. Another thought that made me want to puke.

As soon as I got within telekinetic reach of the guards body, I started undoing all the straps on his armor. It wasn't long until all the gear was floating in the light blue mist of my magic. I slowly started walking back into Treble's room. Once in I plopped all the gear onto her bed...I felt bad that I couldn't get her some that wasn't just as soaked in blood as mine was.

"Well...come here babe. I'm sorry you have to wear this...but it's way better than nothing." I said, she was staring at it like she just saw the guard get killed...wait...she did...now I felt bad giving it to her.

"I'm sorry Treble...do you want mine instead...I can wear this one if it makes you feel any better." I said, I honestly felt bad trying to give her the armor of a pony that she just saw get brutally murdered.

"Y...Yes...thank you." Treble said.

"Hey...this is nice and all...but were gonna have mutants on us real soon if you two don't hurry up!" Ironhoof jumped in.

I quickly started undoing all of my armor. Every time I took a piece of I would snuggly fit it on Treble with my magic and then replacing it with the other set of gear to save some time. I was lucky that I had stronger magic, otherwise this would be nearly impossible to do.

"Treble...you okay?" I asked as I put on her chest piece.

"It's...It's really warm...and nasty...*gag*" Treble said, she was cut off by spilling her lunch on the floor beneath her and crashing to the ground. I didn't blame her either, I have been wanting to do the same thing sense I walked out of my room. I walked over to her and put my hoof around her while I snapped on her helmet.

"I'm so sorry Treble, but it could mean life and death if one of those things were to get a hit on you. We'll try to get you something better when we get out." I said, I was hoping that it was comforting her...even in the slightest bit.

"It's okay...I understand...this stuff is really heavy Cyber." She said, she was definably crying now.

"I know...but it's gets lighter once you get used to it. Don't worry, I'll be by your side. Are you ready?" I asked as I put on the rest of my armor and riot saddle.

"Yea...lets get this over with...quick." She said as she slowly stood back up.

"Okay. Ironhoof, let's go." I said as Treble and I walked up behind him. He was still guarding the door.

"Thank Luna! Follow me and stay quiet, the less attention we attract to ourselves the better. Follow me to the stairs." He said as he walked out into the hallway. Treble and I followed close behind.

Once we got to the stairs I started to hear a loud rumble similar to the first erupt from the floors under us. I looked back at Treble, she was almost frozen in fear. I looked at Ironhoof, he could tell what I was about to ask...but then the lights went out and the alarms stopped, and everything went dead silent other then the menacing howls and screams of mutants

"We need to go, the backup generator just blew. Nothing will work now. These things seem to be stronger in the dark, watch yourself now." Ironhoof said as he slowly started walking backup the stairs. We followed.

Ironhoof turned on his flashlight connected to his helmet, something that he had installed himself. He shined it on a wall, it read F2 in all yellow, giant letters.

"One more floor to go, let's move." He said, continuing up. We again followed. We really didn't have a choice though now, without his light...Treble and I would be lost.

We walked up onto the next floor, a large F1 shined beside the exit door. We made it this far, but my pipbuck was reading tons of threats outside of the door, plus we still had a few rooms to go through until we reached the mane door to the Stable. Ironhoof turned around to talk to us.

"Okay...this floor is going to be flooded with mutants. Our best bet is to run for it. That sound alright with you guys.

I looked over at Treble, she nodded.

"Sounds good." I said, levitating out my baton. Treble pulled hers out of her sheath and grasped it in her mouth. I never understood how earth ponies were able to do stuff without magic, it just seemed difficult. But hey, if she could kill one of those things just as easy as I could with magic by using her mouth...that's fine by me.

"Okay, I'll go in front. Cyber, you in middle. Treble, stay in back." Ironhoof said, I wasn't cool with Treble being in the back.

"Hey...no. Treble, you go in the middle. I can fight anything behind us. I know you don't want to." I said.

"I was thinking the same thing." Treble said.

"That's my bad, probably should have considered that." Ironhoof said. I was slightly pissed at him now, but he was saving our lives...so I didn't say anything.

"Okay, I'm going to open the door on three." He said.

"Okay, I'm ready. Treble?" I said, she nodded. She couldn't talk with the baton in her mouth.

"Alright...One...Two...Three!" He screamed, we all went charging out the door. following Ironhoof.

Every hall, room, and everything in-between was infested with mutants. Thank god these things weren't fast. We usually only had to deal with about three or four with every room we entered. It honestly wasn't that bad right now.

We ran into a hallway labeled MAIN HALL.

"This is it!" Ironhoof yelled. "The door is right around this cor" *BANG* Ironhoof dropped to the ground with a scream as he turned the corner, his head blowing clean off as he fell to the ground like a bag of rocks, blood painting the walls behind him, and all followed by a maniacal, twisted, deep toned laugh.

I stopped in my tracks and grabbed Trebles tail with my teeth and yanked her behind me.

"Stay here." I said as I sat her down up against the wall, put up my shield, and went around the corner. I was not expecting what I saw.

In front of me was a large, yellow coated, puffy veined, muscled up, earth pony gripping a two barreled gun in his mouth. I have never seen a gun before, let alone had one aimed directly at me.

*BANG* The shot hit the shield directly, putting what looked to be hundreds of dents in it, but not piercing it. The pony wasn't a mutant, but instead completely normal and seemed untouched by radiation like the mutants, but instead a normal pony...nut either way, he was a still a red mark on my pipbuck. So he was an enemy in my book.

The gun in his mouth popped open, two red, cylindrical tubes popping out of the back of the barrels. He pulled two more of those red tubes out of his saddle bags, then slid them into the same part of the barrel that the other two flew out of. Then aimed at me again.

*BANG* I heard Treble yelp after this one as more pellets dented my shield. I knew I had to end this and get rid of this guy so Treble wouldn't come around that corner...but then he opened back up the gun and started putting more red tubes into the weapon. So he could only shoot once and then had to but more rounds in the gun. I took this chance and sprung forward, bashing the pony with my shield. Causing him to drop his weapon and yelp. I then jumped on top him and cracked his head with my baton. He flailed and tried to hit me with his hoof, and it probably would have hurt if it wasn't for the riot gear. I rapidly hit his head with the baton, each hit drawing out slightly more blood from his skull. And I continued until he fell limp. He was dead, the red dot that was on my pipbuck was now gone...it was over with...but then the thought sat in...I just killed a pony, a living, breathing pony! I stepped off of his corpse and threw up next to him.

"Treble...it's okay...you can come out now, it's safe...we won." I said, trying to regain my breath.

I turned and saw Treble cautiously come around the corner, she was shaking with fear. I walked up to her and hugged her even tighter than I did before...and finally started to let the tears roll down my cheeks.

"It had to be done...I'm just glad your okay Cyber. Look, there's the door...we can leave this hell!" Treble said, hugging me in return, tears also rolling down her face.

I got out of our hug and turned to face the Stable's main door...it was wide open...we could leave...we could finally leave! I looked over at Treble and nodded. Then we started walking...but I was stopped by something. I turned back around and looked at the headless corpse of Ironhoof...I picked his helmet up of the ground and crouched down beside him, laying the helmet on his chest.

"Thank you." I said.

"We wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for your loss." Treble added in, sitting beside me as we both shed a few last tears before we got up and continued to walk back out the main door of the stable. On the way out I grabbed the pony's gun and holstered it with my baton...then Treble and I walked out of the door of Stable 82...our home.

* * *

><p>Footnote: Level Up<p>

New Perk: Mutant Slayer

You now do 10% more damage to mutants of any kind.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHORS NOTES<strong>

If you have read this far, I would like to personally thank you!

I would also like to say that I except (and prefer to get) criticism whether it is good or bad!

So please, leave reviews!

Thank You

CyberBass587- See you guys next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6- The New World

Cyber's Point of View

Treble and I are shaking in fear. Everything we just witnessed...just did...we have never seen or had to do before. We could see the light at the end of the cave to the outside world, but we didn't know what was awaiting us. Our only hope of knowing about what was outside this entrance cave to the Stable just had his head blown off. I levitated out the gun that I looted from that pony...my first kill. I wasn't sure what to think of that, but it was in self defense...And judging from what all we just saw, it was safe to assume that the outside world was survival of the fittest...but I should wait to make assumptions until we Treble and I get out of here.

I levitated this gun in front of my face, confused on what exactly made it fire and just overall wondered how it worked, and how necessary it was to have one once we meet with the outside world. I looked at my pipbuck and went under the file labeled ITEMS, then noticed a new file showed up, it was simply labeled WEAPONS. I went over to it and saw two things, STABLE 82 RIOT BATON and 12G SAWED OFF SHOTGUN. I guess that was what this gun was called. I looked through the rest of the files as we walked. Noticing that STABLE 82 RIOT ARMOR and STABLE 82 RIOT MASK were now in my APPAREL file. I noticed yet another new file labeled ammo. I scrolled over to it and opened it up, seeing one thing show up reading 12G SHOTGUN SHELL, then it showed me how many I had, which happened to be eight. I guess that was what those red cylinders that went into the sawed off shotgun were called.

I opened up the shotgun and two opened up shells came flying out, then I put in two of the shells in, one for each barrel, then closed it. It locked in with a soft click.

"Please be careful with that Cyber, neither one of us have ever used one before. We should probably get some practice in with them before we fight anypony with them. I hope it doesn't come to that though." Treble said, I could tell from the sound of her voice that she was exhausted and scared. Couldn't blame her either.

"Your probably right...but I hat to say that it might come to that. I mean look what just crawled into the Stable when the door opened. And we saw that there is probably other ponies out here, but I wouldn't sat that most of them are friendly. We should at least keep our guard up." I said.

"Well...that does make sense. But...do you think we can find a safe place to rest before we do anything. If it's okay with you." Treble said, I wasn't going to deny it either.

"Agreed, I was pretty much thinking the same thing. We'll find a place to crash, then figure stuff out in the morning." I said.

"Okay...let's get out of this cave...it's really cold." Treble said.

She was right to, it seemed that the closer we got to the cave exit, the colder it got. And I think I could here wind now, and I don't mean like the cool breeze of air that the Stables air conditioner let off, I mean actual heavy winds. I guess I can just add that to the list of things I have never seen or witnessed.

Treble and I were probably about ten yards away from the exit now. All it was was a simple wooden door that was connected to a perfect, pony sized hole that had outside light piercing through the cracks of the wood. Every time I heard a gust of wind particles of a white looking powder would come through the cracks. It was definably colder up here.

I looked over at Treble.

"You ready to see what's out there?" I asked.

"Not really, but we don't have much of a choice...do we?" Treble asked, she now sounded even more tired then when we first came out of the Stable.

"I'm afraid not." I said as I used my magic to open the door.

As the old, wooden door opened the powerful winds seem to almost push Treble and I back into the cave. It was snow...snow and ashes. It was in the middle of winter. Perfect...now we had to worry about not freezing to death as well as figure out where to go and what to do. I looked over at Treble, she didn't say anything, but I could tell be how she was looking at our new world that she didn't like it one bit so far...and neither did I.

"Well...I guess we should find a house now." I suggested.

"Yea...that sounds good." Treble responded.

"Well...do you just want to walk straight and see what we run into?" I asked.

"It's not like we have any better leads." Treble said.

"Alright then...put your riot mask down so the snow and ash doesn't get in your eyes. It's bad enough we can't see ten feet in front of our own faces, lets prevent it from getting worse." I said as I used my magic to put my mask over my face.

"Smart." Treble said as she reached up and pulled down the riot mask over her face.

"Don't get any further than about ten feet away, that way we don't get separated. Let's start walking." I said as I levitated the sawed off shotgun out in front of me and activated my riot shield.

I walked past Treble and took my first step onto ground that wasn't the metal from the Stable. It was not only soft but also freezing to the touch. I shivered as I felt Treble rub up against my side.

"Holy shit it's cold." She said, I could practically feel her shaking. "You aren't going to have to worry about me getting any further than a foot away from you if the weather stays like this."

"Hey...that's fine by me. The closer you are the better I feel." I said, trying to keep a grip on the riot saddle's pressure plates. I really didn't want this shield folding over.

"Good...cause I'm not leaving your side." She said, I had zero problem with this.

I stopped and looked down at my pipbuck. Above the compass was now small, green lined triangles. I think I learned about these when I first got my pipbuck. I think they marked important locations. I pulled up the map and saw how close the nearest location was, which was about a mile to my right. I guess that was where we were heading.

"That where were going?" Treble asked, I guess she was looking at my pipbuck as well.

"Yep." I said.

"Let's get there quick." Treble said as we started to head out to what we hoped would be our new home. But as soon as I took a step to my right *CLICK* a pressure plate went down under my hoof.

"Don't move, and especially don't lift up your hoof!" A light, robotic voice screamed in the same area of the Stable cave.

I looked over and saw a familiar, black coated and haired unicorn walk out of the Stable doors.

"Loose Screw?" I said, Treble had a look of confusion on her face.

"Yep." Loose Screw said as she walked out of the cave and next to Treble and I.


	7. Chapter 7- Loose Screw returns

Cyber's P.O.V

Loose Screw slowly walked towards Treble and I through the ash and snow. It was odd because even though she was only about fifteen feet away...she was still a gray mass due to the heavy sheet of snow and ash that was blowing through the air.

"Don't move." Loose Screw continuously said as she slowly got closer, and as she did...I really didn't like what I saw.

Her all black mane and coat was still the same, just it now had spots here and there that were completely ridded of hair. She still had on her Stable 82 mechanic jumpsuit, but it was burned and had multiple holes. It was when I looked at her face that scared me a bit. She now only had one eye...the other seemingly glued shot with blood and then stapled with a large piece of shrapnel sticking about 3 inches out of the socket.

"Are...are you okay." I asked, Treble went behind me.

"I'm fine...just some shrapnel and radiation poisoning from the explosion. Afraid this eye is useless now, thank Celestia it went numb. But none of that will matter if you lift up your hoof." She demanded.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Your hoof is resting on a landmine right now. If you lift up, it will be the end to all of us." She said.

"The hell's a landmine?" Treble asked.

"Shit...forgot that this is your guy's first time in the wasteland." Loose Screw said to herself...a little louder than she should have.

"Wait...so this isn't your first time out here?" I questioned.

"Yea...is it?" Treble added in.

"Look...let's get you off of the live landmine and into a safe place, then I'll answer anything you two are wanting to know. Okay?" She said, cocking her head slightly to the left, blood and puss dripping out of the closed socket. I heard Treble gag behind me.

"Okay...you obviously know what you're doing. I won't question it until were safe. Just...remove whatever the hell this thing under me is!" I said, I was frustrated and confused...all at the same time.

Treble knelt down beside my hoof and pulled out a small shovel with what looked like a sharpened edge out of her utility belt, then began digging around my hoof. She was very slow and cautious about it, I take it that was a good thing. However it wasn't long until I could see the round, metal tin under my front left hoof. It was rusted, and had a small, red, flashing light on top.

"I take it that's what you're talking about?" I asked.

"Yea." Loose Screw said.

"How could something so small be so dangerous?" Treble asked, she had a good point to. The thing was only about three inches tall and every bit the same diameter as my hoof.

"If we live long enough out here, I'll show you why." Loose Screw said, a sigh escaped behind her words.

Loose Screw then pulled out a small screw driver and undid a few screws on the side of the mine. Once the screws detached, a small plate followed. This plate was covering some colored wires, all I could see were red, green, and blue ones. Looses Screw then picker her sharpened shovel back up and snagged the red wire on one the sharpened end of the shovel, then pulled up, causing the wire to snap in two.

The mine let out a few high pitched beeps, then the red light flashed and faded into nothing.

"Is that it?" I asked.

"Should be." Loose Screw said.

"Are you sure?" I asked, my heart started pounding slightly faster.

"Look...you obviously now that I've been outside the Stable before. I have done this before, so just lift up your hoof before we freeze to death!" She yelled, not sure why the sudden burst of anger.

"Um...okay then." I said as I looked down...and cautiously began lifting up my hoof off of the mine. I noticed the small pressure plate come back up out of the inside of the mine as I removed my hoof.

"Is it supposed to do that?" I asked.

"Well...it hasn't exploded yet. So I'd say your good." She said, this almost made my heart skip a beat.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I said.

"Were not dead...so yeah." She quickly responded. "Now can we please get somewhere warm?"

"Yeah...let's head out. I guess you know a place to go?" I said.

"Yes...follow me, it should only take a few hours to get there.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's notes<strong>

Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, between my dad just getting out of surgery and me just getting out of a fever with throwing up and all that fun stuff, I haven't had much time on this one. The next chapter should be much longer and might be out tomorrow. Thanks for reading


	8. Chapter 8- A place for the night

Cyber's Point of View

Holy shit was it freezing right now. We have only been walking for about half an hour now, and according to Loose Screw...we had a few more to go. I couldn't imagine how cols she was right now. Treble and I both had riot armor on with our Stable barding under that. All Loose Screw had was her Stable mechanic barding, and it was littered with holes.

"Hey Screw, is there anywhere closer we can go?" I asked.

"Why?" She responded.

"Well...where going to freeze to death soon. You said we had a few hours to go at the least. There has to be a closer place." I said, looking over at Treble. She was shivering more than any of us.

"Of course there's closer places, but the one were going to is the only place that I know is safe. So either we suck it up and go to the for sure safe place...or we take the risk of running into something that will definably kill us on sight...your pick." She said, turning to face Treble and I...I could tell she wanted to get to this so called safe place, but I don't think we were going to make it there without becoming pony-cicles, and I think she knew that as well.

"Look, we both know that we will not survive out here much longer. So lets just take our chances, at least that way we'll die quickly and not freeze to death." I said, Treble nodded in agreement.

There was a long pause. For a moment the only sound that we could here was heavy breathing and the heavy gust of wind that felt like it was going to freeze you instantaneously as it blew past you. Then Loose Screw let out a sigh.

"Fine...it does make sense. We'll try the closest location on our pipbucks. If it isn't safe and we live getting away, we go to my place. Deal?" She asked, again tilting her head to the side...and again more puss and blood leaked out of her eye socket. I tried not to gag, then looked over at Treble.

"That sound good to you?" I asked.

"Y...yea." She said, then shivered and leaned closer to me.

"Alright, where's the closest place from here?" I asked Loose Screw.

She lifted up her pipbuck and started looking through her map. I noticed that there where about five locations that were already discovered on her pipbuck's map.

"What about any of those locations?" I asked, I really didn't care that she has been outside the Stable before as I knew that it would help us...hell, it already did once. That didn't mean I wasn't asking questions later though.

"Well...one of them is the Stable, another is the place we'll be heading if this doesn't work out, and the others are pretty much deathtraps." She said, then looking back down at the glowing screen of her pipbuck.

"Simple enough...did you find a close place?" I asked.

"Three actually...just deciding which one is less likely to be infested with raiders or mutants." She said.

"Raiders?" Treble added in, it was a pretty good question.

"Yea...raiders, drugged up good for nothing ponies that would rather kill then rape you, in that order, than maybe stop and talk or trade. The only good raiders a dead one." Loose Screw said, this time never breaking eye contact from her pipbuck screen.

"Well...they sound pleasant." I said, then I remembered the pony I killed and got this shotgun off of. Was that a so called raider. It did try to kill me rather then let me pass or just try to talk it out. That did make me feel better about killing him...still wasn't thrilled about it though.

"Alright, this one here to the south is more up in the hills, that means it is less likely to be inhabited already. I guess we can try it, should only take about twenty minutes to get there. That the one we're heading to?" Loose Screw asked.

"Sounds good to me, Treble?" I asked.

She nodded in response, I think she was to cold to talk right now.

"Alright...lets head south." I said.

Loose Screw nodded and then turned to what I was assuming was south, and started walking, a thin trail of blood from her eye and probably a few other places throughout her burnt, slightly skinned body. It was probably a miracle that she was still walking.

We followed her, and it wasn't long until we were already walking up the hill to this location...and Loose Screw was quickly slowing down, and she was definably limping, every step she took seemed to make her cringe in pain...yet she still continued to go forward, nothing seemed to stop her.

"We need to get her help." Treble whispered.

"I know, but we can't help her unless we can sit down for the night. Even if we don't have medical supplies, she could at least use a good nights rest." I responded.

"Right...but what if there's other ponies here...one's that aren't friendly." Treble said.

"I'll fight if I have to...I want to try to run them off first. But if there are raiders up here...I have a feeling they can't be scared away." I said, levitating my shotgun out of my saddle bag, staring at it...I think I had a bad feeling that I was going to have to use this.

"Only if you have to..." Treble said, it took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about...but then I got what she was getting at.

"Promise." I responded, then stuck the shotgun back into the saddle bag.

We only had to walk through the freezing cold nuclear winter for about ten minutes until we reached the top of the hill. At the bottom sat a nearly destroyed looking house, a farm house at that. It had a dirt pathway leading to it with a sign that was half way up, half way destroyed and laying in splinters on the ground. The part of the sign that was still up read SWEET APPLE...it then cut off as the rest of the sign was what was in splinters on the ground.

"Is that the place?" I asked.

"Y...yeah." Loose Screw quietly responded.

"Think there are other ponies down there?" I said.

"You bet your ass there is!" A deeper voice responded behind us, it was then followed by laughter of another unknown pony.

My heart nearly dropped as I turned to see two, well armed yet barely clothed ponies, one unicorn, the other earth pony...both aiming loaded guns at us. They where both clothed of that to rival a barbarian like in the stories my dad told me as a colt, except these where nearly coated in dried up blood. The unicorns weapon looked to be like a single barreled, yet much longer version of my shotgun. The earth pony held a smaller gun in his mouth...not sure how that worked, but I guess they just figured it out.

"Raiders?" I asked Treble while I slowly backed up.

"Yep." She responded.

"Yea we raiders...and you can't do shit about it!" The unicorn said.

"Ha...I say we kill them two." The unicorn said, gesturing to Loose Screw and I. "Then we keep the other as a sex slave." He continued...this infuriated me beyond any belief. They wanted to use Treble for that. I looked at her, she was cowering behind me in fear. I wanted her to stay behind me anyway, so this worked out.

"You best back the fuck off her!" I responded to the two of them with all the rage I could put into my voice...but I was greeted with the unicorn's rifle stock directly to the side of my face, followed by Treble and Loose Screw yelping. This definably wrung my bells and knocked my over, but it didn't knock me out thanks to my riot helmet.

"Quiet you pathetic worm!" The unicorn yelled. "Pipeline, grab the mares. I'll drag the knocked out little bitch over here."

What the unicorn didn't realize was that while he was bragging and talking, I was levitating out my shotgun. I pressed it up against the unicorns stomach...then pulled the trigger.

Blood and guts painted the ground behind and under the unicorn, I quickly stood up while I used my magic to load two more shells into my shotgun, then unloaded them into the earth pony before he had a chance to react. More blood painted the ash filled snow. As I stood there in the snow with my heart pounding, everything started to come to me. I just realized what I did, and I wasn't that proud. I more took it as self defense and defending my friends then attacking, but I wasn't happy about it.

I looked at Treble and Screw Loose to see there reactions. Loose Screw didn't seemed phased, but Treble obviously didn't like what she just saw. You could tell by simply looking into her eyes. I didn't blame her either.

"Treble...I...I said if I had to, I would. Please...please understand." I said as I slowly put my shotgun back into the saddle bag.

There was a pause as Treble looked into my eyes, this seemed to almost pull the tears out of my eyes. But then she responded.

"You saved both of us...I think that's all that matters." She said, then ran in to hug me, I returned the favor.

"Um...this is nice and all, but were about to get swarmed." Loose Screw said as she pointed down the hill at the dozen ponies charging up the hill.

"Loose Screw, take this." I said as I levitated my shotgun over to her with all the shells I had left. Then I picked up the larger shotgun off the ground and looted any rounds I could find. Then I picked up the small gun off the ground I wiped off all the blood with the best of my ability and gave it to Treble. I noticed my pipbuck labeled it as 10mm pistol. I guess it was safe for earth pony use without the need of a battle saddle. She refused at first.

"Only if you have to?" I suggested.

"Promise." She responded as she grabbed the pistol in her mouth. We all then took cover on the larger rocks and prepared for the living hellstorm we were all about to go through.

* * *

><p>Footnote: Level Up<p>

New Perk: Extreme Focusing

You fight and react well under pressure. Your magic and senses are now stronger when in a firefight or life or death situation.


	9. Chapter 9- The first of many

Cyber's Point of View

This...was horrifying. I could hear bullets hitting all around me. Every time one hit the rock Treble and I was behind I could feel it. Every time one flew above me, it seemed to make a noise I have never heard before, it was comparable to something of an extremely quick burst of high powered wind going by your ear. Every time it happened I nearly shit myself. Treble was nearly frightened stiff, I was constantly having to snap her back into reality. Loose Screw, despite her death defying injuries, was right there with me. We were constantly peeking up and blindly firing rounds down the hill. Hell, I don't even know if Loose Screw's sawed off shotgun was reaching the raiders. At least the blizzard was dying down, I could finally see more then ten feet in front of me. I'm assuming that we were all low on bullets. I only had seven shots left.

"How many shells you have Screw?" I asked, she was currently laying on her back behind a fallen tree about twenty feet away from the rock Treble and I were at.

"Six shells, so I have three shots left. I think I'm just wasting shots though, they don't seem to reach!" She yelled back. "Is Treble even shooting?"

I looked over sat Treble, she was shaking her head back and forth. Eyes wide open.

"No, I told her she wouldn't have to, remember." I responded as I popped back up and sent another round down the hill, this time I think I hit a raider in the front legs as he fell over in pain. Nine shots left.

"We need to wait for them to get close!" Loose Screw yelled.

This was smart. These shotguns didn't seem to have range on them whatsoever, but then I remembered Trebles 10mm pistol. I may not know much about guns, but it was worth a try.

"Treble, can I see your gun?" I asked, it didn't take much for her to give it up.

I levitated the gun over and checked to see how many shots I had, but first I had to find where the bullets went in this thing. The shotgun was simple, you just simply slid shells into an obvious slot on the bottom. However this thing didn't have a slot like the shotgun, just a trigger, sights, and a few buttons. One button was labeled SAFE and FIRE, it was currently on FIRE, probably smart to keep it there. The other button was just a small circle, I guess it didn't hurt to push it. The worst it could do was just make the gun not work or something. I pushed the button...then out came a small, rectangular box from the bottom of the pistol...and it was filled from the bottom to the top with bullets.

I slid the rectangle back in...backwards at first, but I figured it out. Then I popped up from behind the rock and aimed the sights directly at the chest of a raider armed with what looked to be a pitchfork with only one point, a crazed smile on her face as she charged upwards towards us. I squeezed the trigger with my magic, and the gun popped. It was quitter then the shotgun and had much less kick, yet it definably had more range then a shotgun. I guess that shotguns were for up close encounters when you needed to drop something with a single shot, yet completely useless at longer distances. This pistol, however, had significantly more range, but much less power. I needed to put another shot into the raider's chest to drop her for good.

"What is that?" I heard Loose Screw yell from her tree.

"It's that 10mm pistol we got from that raider. I have a plan now, I'll get the one's at a distance, you take them out if they get to close." I yelled as I dropped another charging raider around thirty yards down the hill.

"Sounds good! I'll just wait here." She responded.

Then I looked over at Treble.

"Were gonna be okay." I said.

"Promise." She asked, her voice was trembling. I was surprised there was a few tears in her eyes.

"Would never lie." I said as I popped back up from the rock and dropped another raider, this time my first shot missed and I needed an additional two shots to kill the raider.

I noticed that we now had five out of the original twelve raiders that started charging towards us dead, so that meant seven were left.

"Only seven left!" I yelled over to Loose Screw.

"Good, let's end this quick!" She responded.

I popped up yet again and popped off three shots, killing another raider. But this time my 10mm's slide that ejected the empty bullets stayed back instead of going back forward like it usually did. This startled me, I thought my gun broke, but then I looked inside the slide, there wasn't any bullets left in the gun. I guess that was how you knew to put more bullets in.

I hunkered down behind the rock and started looking for more 10mm bullets. I used my magic to pull over the corpse of the raider that we got the pistol off of, then started searching for any type of bullets I could find.

He had seven 10mm rounds laying in the bottom of his torn up saddle bags, and four rounds that my pipbuck labeled 7.62 NATO ROUNDS. I had no clue what kind of gun these went to, but it must have been powerful as the round was every bit as long as the 12g shotgun shells, yet they looked to be in the same style brass casing as the 10mm pistol. I would have to inspect these later, I stuck them in my saddle bags and started to reload the pistol.

I removed the small rectangular bullet holder and started sliding all seven bullets in the top of the box, then sliding it back into the pistol. As soon as the bullet box went in the gun, the slide shot forward. I was now ready to shoot again, but then I heard Loose Screw pop off a shot. Did the raider's already get that far up here? I peeked over at Loose Screw's downed tree, there was one raider laying on the tree nearly headless. Another behind the tree...on top of Loose Screw. She was screaming in pain, and those screams where nearly drowned out by insane, maniacal laughter. I looked up from my rock and popped off four shots, two raider's fell, one with another 10mm pistol, another with a shovel.

"Stay here Treble." I said as I gave her my baton. "If you have to, aim for the head. It will only knock them out, I promise." I told her as I flipped down the mask on her riot helmet. "I'll be right back, Screw needs help."

"You sure it won't kill them?" She said, her voice was loud and worrying.

"Yes." I said as I turned and ran over to Loose Screw's tree, picking up my shotgun off the ground along the way.

As I was running over, I felt a bullet hit me directly in the side. It stung like hell, but I have never been so grateful for armor in my life. I think it stopped the bullet just enough to not pierce the plating. I simply shook it off and made it the rest of the way to the tree.

As I charged in I head-butted the raider on top of Loose Screw, causing him to fall over on the ground. I was again thankful for my helmet. I quickly pushed the barrel of the shotgun on his chest, then pulled the trigger. More blood splattered the snow under us...then I noticed all the blood on his mouth, then I looked at Loose Screw. The metal piece that was originally stuck in her eye with dried up blood and puss was now lying next to her, blood surrounding it...and around Loose Screw's head. The raider literally ripped it out...for fun...just like Loose Screw had said, raider's were heartless bastards who would rather kill you for fun. They deserved death.

She wasn't dead, but she was definably unconscious. I levitated her up onto my back and ran back over to Treble, another round nearly hitting me on the way. But I made it. Treble was fine, she was still in the same position as when I left, except now a baton was clenched in her teeth. I laid Loose Screw in the snow, blood dipping and oozing out of her eye socket. I was actually glad that she was passed out, I wouldn't want anyone to be conscious in that state.

"2 left, I'll get them." I said to Treble. "You see if you can patch her up at all if you can."

"Okay, that I can do." Treble said as she started crawling over to Loose Screw.

I peeked back over the rock, 1 of the final two raiders where climbing up the hill with a knife clenched in her mouth. I picker her off with one clean headshot. I couldn't find the other though, maybe he or she went back into the barn. I stood up completely to get a better view, no raider in sight...except for one peeking his head out of the barn's main entrance.

"You're not hiding from me." I said as a carefully aimed the pistol, angling the sight's slightly above the raider's head. Then pulled off two shots...the raider fell...headshot. That was it...we won...none of us were dead, but we where all scared...some more then others.

"That's all! We have to get to the barn, come on. I'll get Loose Screw, you follow me." I said to Treble.

"Okay. Lets go." She said.

I put the 10mm pistol in my saddle bag and attached the larger shotgun to my riot gear. Then I levitated Loose Screw back on top of me, then ran down the hill to the barn as fast as I could without Screw falling off. At least she was still breathing.

Treble and I walked up to the barn entrance, the dead raider laying in front with a small bullet wound in his skull. I walked in to observe the barn, laying Loose Screw down in a corner as I walked through the rest of the barn to see if there was any raiders we missed. I walked into what I thought was the kitchen, looking around for any food or supplies. Found a few things labeled STIMPAKS lying on the counter, when I picked them up I noticed my pipbuck sorted them under a file called MEDICAL. I guess we could at least see if they helped Loose Screw. I walked into another room

*BANG*

I jumped and pulled out my shotgun, turning to see a raider cowering in the corner. I put a shot into his skull, popping it like a balloon. Treble came running in.

"Are you AAAHHHHHHHH!" She yelled.

"What?" I asked, then I felt an extremely sharp pain in my side that made my heart skip a beat.

I looked down to be greeted by tons of blood leaking out of my riot gear...the shot made it through. I looked at Treble

"I...I'll be...okay." I said...then I passed out.

* * *

><p>Footnote: Level Up<p>

New Perk: Sniper

When aiming at a alone target, your magic allows you to perform headshots with ease.


	10. Chapter 10- The first night

Cyber's P.O.V

I collapsed to the ground as the pain shot through my whole entire chest and stomach area, my shotgun completely falling out of my levitation spell in the process. I could feel myself getting weaker by the second. I went and looked around, seeing Treble and Loose Screw standing over me talking...except I couldn't hear anything they were saying. There lips were moving, just nothing was heard...then I realized that I couldn't hear anything. I was starting to black out, my vision was getting blurry, I was coughing up blood, yet worst of all was seeing Treble crying over me whenever I could see. I couldn't do anything either. I kept trying to move, to talk, to at least make a damned sound. But still, nothing would work, all I could do was slay there and semi-watch as Treble and Loose Screw figured out what to do. I moved my head so I could at least see what I was just shot with. On the ground was yet another gun I have never seen before. It was around the size of my shotgun, yet it seemed to have an external box that the bullets went that was sticking out of the bottom of the gun. I also had, what looked to be, something that resembled a small telescope on the top of it. I'm sure all these things had names and some sort of gun nut would call me out on it, but that doesn't matter now.

I tried standing...nothing. Then at least tried to talk...still nothing. I was starting to think that the bullet pierced something vital, and that thought alone just seemed to make everything worse. I was literally useless right now. And every time I looked at Treble, she was laying next to me...weeping. Yet another unsettling thought. I knew that if I died out here, Treble and Loose Screw would to. However, that thought also fueled a fire inside me. It forced me to do something instead of just lye here and bleed out. I used what magic energy I had left to levitate over the needle I had found earlier. This alone seemed to drain everything I had. I noticed that Treble and Loose Screw were now sitting back, watching. I think they thought that I was already dead.

The needle was now up to my eyes, from what I could tell, it was labeled a STIMPACK. I had no clue what it did, but I knew it was medical. So this could be a number of things. It could kill me, it could give me energy, it could simply fix everything. I had no clue, but I had to take a chance. It was either that, or die. I levitated the needle down to the hole in my riot gear, then shoved it into the wound. This probably would have stung like a bitch, but I was already to numb to feel anything. I used my magic to push the plunger on the needle down, all it's liquid going into the wound, then I removed it, and relaxed as I waited for something to take affect...and it didn't take long.

I felt energy and feeling start to return to my body. My vision started going back to normal. My hearing suddenly wasn't as muted like before. I could breath normally now. I guess these things helped. I used my new energy to roll from my side to my stomach, then sitting up, pain shooting through my side where the bullet entered. Treble and Loose Screw rushed to my side to keep my upright.

"Cyber!" I heard Treble scream. "Your okay!"

"I...I guess you could say that." I responded, my speech still kindove slurred due to me being out of breath.

"You can do stuff now, but you sure as hell aren't okay. The bullet didn't pass through completely, it's still in you." Loose Screw said.

"Great...I'm assuming it can't stay there either?" I responded.

"Afraid not, we need to get you to a doctor." Loose Screw said.

"We should hold off until tomorrow though, it's dark out." Treble said.

"What, you afraid of the dark." Loose Screw responded.

"No, it's freezing out there. You said it yourself, we wouldn't make it out here at night." Treble quickly responded.

"I don't recall ever saying that!" Loose Screw said.

"You said something similar!" Treble responded.

"DID NOT!" Treble yelled, her loud voice seeming to return.

"Look...I'm agreeing with Treble here. We stay here tonight, go to your place tomorrow. Okay?" I say.

"Good." Treble says.

"Fine." Loose Screw adds in, she sounded annoyed.

"Now, can we all just find a place to lay?" I said.

"Yea, come on. I saw a room over here before you...you know..." Treble said, stopping mid sentence.

"Got shot?" I said, finishing it for her.

"Yea." She said, blushing slightly.

Loose Screw walked off to a room next to the one that I got shot in and laid down on a pile of straw that was neatly placed in the corner of the room. Treble and I went into the one next to it. It pretty much the same as the one Loose Screw went in. A small, rectangular room that had a pile of straw in the corner. The only difference being that this room had a dresser with a cracked, dusty mirror in it. I limped over to the dresser and opened it, seeing a tan winter duster neatly folded inside. I pulled it out with my teeth then levitated it up with my magic so I could unfold it. It was way to small for me, but then I remembered saying I would get Treble something that wasn't drenched in blood.

"Hey Treble." I said.

"Yea." She responded from the makeshift straw bed.

"It's not blood soaked, think this will work for you?" I asked.

"You know...it's perfect." She responded.

"Come her then, I'll help you get in on." I said.

"No, I can do it. You need to rest." She responded.

"I'm fine. Now come here, lets get you out of that nasty thing." I said.

Treble smiled, then stood up and lightly trotted over to me in probably the cutest way I have seen.

"What was that?" I jokingly asked.

"My happy walk." She responded.

"Your what?" I chuckled as I started undoing all the straps on her riot gear.

"Shut up." She responded, nudging my shoulder with her hoof.

"Just messing with you...it was cute though." I said.

"That's what I was going for." She said, holding her head up with some weird sense of pride...which was even cuter.

"Well it worked." I responded as I started sliding off all the gear.

I started with the helmet, then the leg and hoof guards, then the chest piece. Then I slid the duster on her.

"How is it?" I asked.

"Little loose, but I think it will work. It's warm though." She said, smiling ear to ear.

"Good. It's a winter duster, if it wasn't warm then theirs a problem" I said, but then I thought about protection. That thing was just leather with a thick lining on the inside for winter. It probably didn't protect against anything.

"Wait here, I'm going to get something." I said.

"Be quick." She responded as she walked back to the straw bed.

I walked out of the room and into the room where I got shot. Once inside I walked over to the mare's corpse, the same one who shot me. I looked at her armor. It was a finely crafted leather chest piece and front hoof guards. I figured that would be light, and at least protect against small weapons fire. I removed the gear from the corpse and started heading back to the room, but then I remembered the weapon that I was previously curious about. I turned and levitated the weapon off the ground, a note popped up on my pipbuck.

* * *

><p>AK47 ASSAULT RIFLE ADDED TO INVINTORY<p>

* * *

><p>Well, now I knew what it was called. An AK47. I started to observe it so I could see how it worked. It had a trigger, obviously, a safety switch, a bullet box release, it was pretty much the same as the 10mm pistol, just much bigger. I released the bullet box to see what kind of rounds it took. Once I took it out I saw a vary familiar type of round. I removed one out of the bullet box and levitated out one of the 7.62 NATO ROUNDS that a found earlier so I could compare them. They were exactly the same.<p>

"Well I'll be damned." I said to my self as I levitated out the rest of the 7.62 bullets and put them into the bullet box, then slapped it into the AK47. My pipbuck said I had a total of 26 7.62 bullets, and unless I was right on the money, the AK47's bullet box could hold even more bullets then that. I walked over to the corpse to see if I could find more 7.62 bullets, and I did. But instead of just finding some spare bullets here and there, I found tow full bullet boxes for the gun!

"Hell yea." I said, but then I realized that when I picked them up, my pipbuck labeled the bullet boxes as AK47 MAGAZINES. Now I felt stupid, this whole time I have been calling these things bullet boxes, they were actually called magazines...good job Cyber, dad would be proud. I also saw that the magazines cloud hold up to 30 rounds each. I removed the magazine I had in the gun and then put in a full one for safe measures. Then a slid the two magazines into my right saddle bag. I think I figured how I was going to organize my saddle bags to now. I will use the right one for magazines and bullets, and the left for pretty much anything else. I guess I had three guns now, and AK47, a 12g pump shotgun, and a 10mm pistol. I had to say that it did way me down a bit, but not enough for my to want to get rid of one. I was built like an Earth pony thanks to my dad, and had the magic skill of my mother. I guess I got lucky their.

I hung the AK47 right next to my shotgun and 10mm pistol, then walked back into the room Treble was in.

"Got something to help with protection." I said.

"What's that?" She said from the straw bed.

"My pipbuck says it's called a leather tunic, I figured it would be better bullet protection if you wore it under the duster." I said. "It's up to you if you want to wear it though."

"Is it blood soaked?" She asked.

"No." I responded "It actually looks pretty clean."

"Then put it on." She said. "I guess it wouldn't be smart to go around without any sort of armor at all."

"That was my logic behind it." I said as she walked over, slipping off the duster.

I put the leather tunic and fore hoof guards on her, it actually looked like it was all meant to be worn like that as it all had the same leathery brown color. Once it was all strapped down I slid the duster over it all. Now it really looked like a complete outfit.

"What do you think?" Treble said.

"Well...you actually look pretty badass." I said, we both chuckled.

"Alright...I guess we should get to sleep." Treble said.

"Agreed." I responded.

"But don't think I'm letting you in this straw bed with all those guns hanging off you." She said.

"I didn't plan on it." I responded as I took all the weapons off of my riot gear, including my riot shield battle saddle. I was probably going to ditch the riot shield anyway. With all the damage it took before, it was pretty much useless. I then took off the riot helmet and walked over to lay with Treble.

I laid down beside her, we faced each other and simply stared into each other's eyes.

"I guess that's day one." Treble quietly said.

"I guess so...you think it might get any worse then this." I asked.

"More then likely." She responded. "But lets just deal with that once we face it."

"Agreed." I said. "Well...good night babe, love you."

"Forgetting something?" She asked, it didn't take long for me to get the memo.

We both shut our eyes as we leaned in for a kiss...the first one in a while, we made it last as long as possible. We finally released.

"Love you too." She said as we both closed our eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>Footnote: Level Up<p>

New Perk: Every last Round

You are more likely to find bullets and magazines on fallen foes and in containers.


	11. Chapter 11- Early Rising

Cyber's P.O.V

It was now somewhere around 4 AM maybe. I haven't been able to sleep sense I woke up about an hour or so ago. Treble was still passed out lying in the same position as when we first dosed off, and I think I could here Loose Screw lightly snoring from the next room over. Treble and I were still lying on our sides, noses touching and front hooves together. I could feel every single small breath she took, and I would be lying if I said it wasn't adorable. I didn't want to move as I didn't want to wake her up, and I had a feeling that sleep like this was rare in this wasteland of a place. I was fairly uncomfortable though, this riot gear wasn't exactly cushiony on the inside either. I attempted to move a bit, but was stopped when I heard Treble start mumbling in her sleep. I thought she was waking up, but I guess she was just dreaming. I needed to stand desperately, and it would probably be best if I did it before my legs went numb.

I started to slowly move away from Treble. She started mumbling again, she was definably dreaming, no doubt about it. Sounded like a good dream to me, she was breathing heavy, rapidly talking, sweating, or anything like that. It was probably best if I let her sleep as long as possible, I was just already fully awake.

I finally managed to get into a standing position after about five minutes. It felt good to stand and Stretch. I for sure wasn't going back to sleep, so I needed something to do. I guess I could start by ditching that riot saddle. It was useless now, some of the plastic was missing on the shield, what was left was mainly shredded or filled with holes. I levitated the riot saddle over to me and started undoing the bolt holding down the shield. It wasn't long until the shield was lying on the floorboards. Upon looking at the saddle I noticed another slot for another mechanical arm to attach something to. This gave me a brilliant idea. I could modify the riot saddle to hold two weapons. One side a ranged weapon like that AK47 I found, and the other for close quarters like the pump shotgun. The mouth part that activated the mechanical arms did have two pressure points, and that meant that it was completely possible to mount another weapon on it, and be able to fire each one separately. I still needed another mechanical arm for this to work though. I guess I could go ahead and mount at least one of them for now. I levitated the saddle and my weapons in front of my eyes, observing my options.

The pistol really wasn't worth mounting as it could be just as easily drawn out of my saddle bags just as quick. And the AK47 probably took more focus to aim, so I decided to go with the shotgun. I let the AK and pistol out of my levitation spell and then started screwing the shotgun to the mechanical arm by it's seeming universal weapon holder. And Celestia damn, it was a perfect fit. I locked the arm in place so it wouldn't fly in front of me like the shield did, and then attached the trigger mechanism to the trigger of the shotgun. I slid the battle saddle on and tied the straps down, then emptied out the shells in the shotgun so I could at least test the mechanism without having to waste any shotgun shells. I grabbed onto the mouth piece and then bit down on the left side, I was then greeted by a soft clicking noise of an empty shotgun.

"It works!" I softly, yet excitedly said to myself as I loaded some shells into the shotgun and undid the new and improved riot saddle...guess it was more of a battle saddle now.

I undid the straps on the battle saddle and then laid it with the rest of my weapons, again as softly as I could without making so much noise to wake up Treble. I looked over at her, she was still passed out. She was probably exhausted, we all were. But it probably didn't help that Treble wasn't exactly built for this kind of stuff. It's not like she's not tuff, it's more just that she war barely able to kill a bug back in the Stable, I could barely imagine her having to kill somepony. I don't think she could handle that, and that was why I was here. So she didn't have to. She was perfectly fine that I had to kill, but that was only because she wouldn't have to as long as I was around. Maybe I could give her something nonlethal if I find it. Like a taxer or something, yea, something like that wouldn't would work. I know she wouldn 't give two shits if she had to simply hurt somepony that was after her. I guess something like that was the next thing on my scavenge list.

"C...Cyber...is that you?" I heard from behind me, it was Treble.

"Shit! Did I wake you up? Sorry." I said.

"No...your fine." She said, rubbing her eye with her hoof as she stood up. "Just woke up from a good sleep."

"That's good, but were you dreaming or something?" I asked.

"No, why?" She responded, her voice was still low and monotone.

"You were mumbling In your sleep. I was just wondering." I said.

"Was I really? Could you understand any of it?" She asked.

"No, it was pretty much just light mumbling." I responded.

"Oh, alright then. Is Loose Screw up yet?" She asked.

"I am now." I tired Loose Screw said from behind us.

"Hey...didn't know you were up. You okay...your eyes still a little jacked up." I said.

"I'm good, used that other stimpack you found. Heeled it up enough to get me moving again." She said. "You two ready top head out, we got a good walk ahead of us."

"You ready Treble?" I asked.

"Yep." She responded.

"Alright then. Let me get my stuff real quick." I said as I levitated over my battle saddle and strapped it to my back, then hung the AK47 off my said by a sling and then stuck the 10mm pistol in my saddle bags.

"Let's go." I said.

* * *

><p>Footnote: Level Up<p>

New Perk: Jury Rigger

You can scavenge parts from most items and use them to fix similar items or craft custom weapons.

This only applies to weapons, battle saddles, and armor


	12. Chapter 12- Traveling

Cyber's Point of View

"So...any description of exactly wear your leading us?" I asked Loose Screw as we blindly followed to an unknown location without any sort of hint as to if this place was actually safe...or even worth it for the fact.

"Look Cyber...I know ponies there. They can help." She responded, resisting eye contact as she continued to trot up the now corpse filled hill that we came from.

"Like who?" Treble said from behind me.

"There's a few ponies there I know, specifically one known as Clicks. Or at least that what everyone wants him to be called." She said, still avoiding any eye contact as she led our small pack.

"What kind of relation do you have with this clicks mare?" I asked out of curiosity...yet this was the thing that made her stop in her tracks. "What?" I said, slightly cocking my head to the side.

"What makes you think Clicks is a mare?" She said, a hint of ignorance and pain in her voice.

"Well...for every five ponies, one is a colt. Just common math I was taught back in the Stable." I said. "It's a common mistake."

I looked over at Treble, and she looked just as confused as me as to why she was getting so mad at this.

"Is that what that's about?" She responded.

"Yeah...did you sleep through classes or something?" Treble said. She was always the straight A student.

"Some don't get to take those classes." She said, her voice going from slight anger to a small, inner sadness as she shifted her head downwards.

"Well why didn't you?" Treble asked...this conversation obviously wasn't leading somewhere good, so I was just going to sit this one out and let Treble have a go at it.

"Well...by the time I was old enough to go into kindergarten I didn't have parents to sign the forms to let you take school classes...that's how I got stuck in maintenance." She said, turning and starting to continue walking. I could tell by her voice that talking about that hurt her. I would of tried to make this conversation completely if I would of known anything about Loose Screw's past.

"Oh...um...sorry, I didn't know." Treble said, backing up and lowering her head as she drifted towards me.

"It's fine...is there anything else you want to know so we never have to talk about this again." She said.

"So...your letting us ask anything?" I asked, I mean...it would be nice to know more about her.

"Yeah...as long as you can walk and talk at the same time." She said, her mood seeming to rapidly shift.

Damn...where do I start.

"So...umm...what where your parents names?" I shyly asked.

"Well...moms name was Broken metal...and dad, well he's been dead sense mom was pregnant with me. She never told me his name because I was only four when she passed away do to radiation poisoning. I was to young to even know to ask questions then, so I never knew what happened to dad or even knew his name." She said, yet she more sounded like she didn't give a shit rather then deep sadness.

"Well...thanks for sharing. Means a lot." I said.

"Yes...thank you." Treble added.

"No problem. Anything else?" She asked.

"Well...how long to we get there?" Treble asked.

"Umm...about..." She was cut off.

"How about wherever your going...we all just forget about." An unknown, cheerful, charming, yet ridiculously rude voice said from our far right.

I quickly turned towards the voice, the shotgun battle saddle's pressure switch clenched in my teeth, and faced a pony that was not only frightening looking, yet still had a large hint of mystery to him. What threw me off was the fact that he was alone, no pony else in sight.

"State your business." I said to the male Earth pony as he creeped out of a thick patch of bushes.

He had a gray coat with an almost grey blue, and a scarf to match that draped over his front right hoof to hide whatever was under there. You could barely see his face, just his blood red eyes...also with a grey tint. His cutie mark was slightly scratched out and scared, but I could make out wrench behind an oddly placed skull that really just didn't belong.

"State yours." He says.

"You first, I'm a man of trade when it comes to questions and answers." I say, trying to sound smart.

"Well that makes to us now doesn't it?" He responds, his voice was really calm and laid back, yet horrific at the same time. Treble was standing behind me, baton clenched in her teeth.

"I don't know...does it?" He said as he removed the scarf from his front right leg. This revealed what looked top be a gun with multiple barrels...however it wasn't tied to his leg or in a holster, but instead seemed to be a part of him...like it literally was the lower part of his leg from the knee down.

"What the fuck is that!?" I say, I heard Treble gasp behind me.

He started looking around like he was confused, then started focusing on a rock that was lying next to his gun leg thing.

"That's a rock dumbass...I thought you unicorns where smart...pity." He says.

This threw me off a bit, then I noticed the small rock lying next to his leg...then he raised it and pointed it at me. The multiple barrels started spinning, I knew this wasn't good. I took an abrasive stance and waited for something top happen, but then Loose Screw stepped out in front of me.

"Clicks! Calm yourself, they're with me." She yelled.


	13. Chapter 13- Clicks

Cyber's Point of View

What the hell did Loose Screw just say? I think I heard Clicks...did I? I mean if this was Clicks he would have noticed Loose Screw and came out to help, not commence more violence. Or did Loose Screw have an unfriendly past with Clicks that we just didn't know about.

"Come on Clicks. Put that thing away, you know we mean no harm." Loose Screw said.

"I don't know, your armored friend over there says otherwise." Clicks quickly responded, he was definably quit witted.

"That armored friend is just running on instinct, he's a protector, not a fighter." Loose Screw said. I liked the idea of protector, not fighter.

"Is that so? What, is he protecting the small one cowering behind him?" Clicks said, gesturing to Treble with his gun hoof.

"Look Clicks. We where just heading for a place to stay that Loose Screw told us about. Could you maybe let us head there?" I said, refusing to let my guard down in the slightest.

"Oh but that's just it my friend. I run that place...did Screws here fail to mention that?" He said, Loose Screw's ears fell down beside her head. She was probably nervous, I didn't blame her. All that aside, that is something she should have told me.

"Do you think we can get to that place then. Were not known to cause trouble." I said.

"All those dead raiders back there say otherwise." He responded.

How the hell would he know that. Has he been following us this whole time? I guess I could add that to the seemingly, and quickly, growing list of reasons I didn't like this guy.

"But they're raiders! Does it really matter." Treble blurted from behind me.

"No...no it doesn't. But to those raiders you killed definably made it look like you like to cause trouble, doesn't it?" He said, I guess he was also a smart ass. Down on the imaginary list that goes. "Just imagine it this way, all those raiders were minding there own business and you just came along and murdered every last one of them. One even got a lucky shot in, didn't seem to do any good though...now did it?" He continued. There's no way he knew that I almost died back there. How close has this guy been to us the last few days?

"Look...can we just leave." Treble said.

"Absolutely!" He said...it couldn't be that simple. Loose Screw and I even looked at him with large amounts of disbelief.

"Really?" Treble said with joy and confusion in her voice.

"Of fucking course not!" He yelled with a happy tune and a slight chuckle to follow. I knew it didn't make any sense. I guess he likes to fuck with ponies as well.

"But...you said" Treble was cut off.

"Don't believe what I say honey." He said, Treble went back to her scared state and hid behind me.

I have had about enough of this, but I couldn't just kill him. Loose Screw sure wouldn't be happy and this place we where heading to would shoot us on sight if we came back with there leaders blood on us. We needed a compromise, and soon.

"Look Clicks, we just want a place to say. So how about we make a deal?" I asked, Treble and Loose Screw looked at me in an unsure way.

"And what would that be my friends?" He says, bringing his hoof gun up to his face and rotating the multiple barrels.

"There has to be something you need done in return for shelter at your place." I said, waiting for a response. All three of us stared at Clicks with great intent.

The pause lasted forever as we all stood in the cold weather, not as cold as when the blizzard when we first exited the stable, but still cold. Clicks just continued to rotate the eight barrels on his hoof in a counter clockwise motion as he thought. You could hear the gears turning through the heavy winds of the snow filled wasteland.

"I do have something for you actually." He said, I think everypony's ears perked up at this moment. "I have some groups of ponies here and there that pay my organization for protection. As you can probably tell, there late on there payments. Pick them up for me, and you can stay."

"That's it? Just go pick up some cash for you and bring it back and we can stay at your place?" I said.

"Yep. A whole week of shelter for each payment you get for me." He said.

"Wait! Only a week! What kind of shit is that!" I yelled, I felt Treble tap my side to calm down.

"Yea...what? Did you think one measly chore would allow you to permanently stay at my place. Oh hell no buddy. Each payment equals a week of shelter. Considering my organization covers around 100 places or so that pay monthly, it shouldn't be that bad. Just pick a place each week, it'll take around three days to get the money and bring it back, then get the rest of the week to stay. Simple, so do you except or not?" He asked. This was one helluva decision to make. I needed a vote on this one.

"Treble, Loose Screw, huddle, were voting on this one." I said, Treble came from behind me to my side and Loose Screw came to my other.

"What do you guys think?" I asked. "Do you think it's worth it?"

Loose Screw spoke up first. "Well, I've worked with him before. He's at least a stallion of his words. Plus, his organization is fairly known around the wasteland to be taken seriously. If we become known as his errand runners, nopony would dare mess with us as we wondered the wasteland. I say we do it."

"What about you Treble?" I asked.

"Everything Loose Screw said does seem beneficial. I just say we avoid pissing this guy off." She said, we all looked over at him. He was currently just staring at us with a sly look on his face. We went back into the huddle.

"I say we go for it." I said. We all shook our heads and looked back towards Clicks.

"Were in. Where's the first place were heading?" I said.

"Well..." Clicks said as he stuck his snout into his saddle bags and pulled out an old, burnt piece of paper. "I'll leave that decision to you." He said as he passed the paper to me.

I unfolded it to reveal a map of every place that Click's organization protected circled in black. What stood out was a small red x in the upper right corner of the map that marked Click's HQ. Nice to know.

"So...where are we?" Treble asked.

That was a really good question. The stable wasn't exactly on the map anyway, so where we were on the map was unknown.

"Hey Clicks, where exactly are we?" Loose Screw asked.

"Why don't you check your hoof traps." He said, gesturing to our pipbucks.

I didn't respond, but instead looked at the map on my pipbuck. I was surprised to what I saw. Every marked location on the map was now on the map on my pipbuck, all marked with a square. It had everything right, even the places names. It even showed where we where, now could see what one was closest to us. I slid the map into my saddle bag and walked over to Clicks.

"We'll be back." I said as the three of us started walking off, away from Clicks to do his dirty work. I guess that was one way to handle things.

* * *

><p>FOOTNOTE<p>

Level Up

New Perk: Cool headed

During conversations you are much calmer. You can now reason with enemies slightly better...without the use of violence that is.


End file.
